Centrifugal ore-concentrator.



E. 0-. LATOHEM & L. W. POLLOGK.

OBNTRIPUGAL ORB OONGENTRATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1913.

1,080,223, Patented Dec. 2,1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON. D. c.

E. 0. LATGHEM & L. WKPOLLOGK.

GENTRIFUGAL ORE GONCENTRATOR; APPLICATIONIFILBDIMAR.B, 1913.

1,080,223. Patnted Dec. 2, 1913.

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awwwtou ECLHTCHEM vH/wemo L-W.'Po LLo ck E. GJLATOHBM & L. W. POLLOGK. GENTRIFUGAL ORE'GONGENTRATOR. I APPLICATION FILED MAR. S, 1913. 1,080,223 Patented Dec. 2. 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co \vAsmNnroN, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

' EDW'ARID C. LATCHEIVI AND LE'WIS W. POLLCCK, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CENTRIFUGAL ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 8, 1913.

This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal ore concentrators and has for its primary object to provide simple and novel mechanism whereby gold or other precious metals may be separated from the gangue or tailings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary concentrating vessel having a mercury bed, and means embodied in the construction of said vessel whereby the mercury is trapped during the rotation of the vessel.

A further object of the invention is to 7 provide means in combination with a concentrating vessel for saving the fine or flour gold which is discharged by centrifugal force from the periphery of said vessel, said means including one or more mercury beds,

and means for maintaining said mercury beds at a predetermined depth.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- Vide a vertically adjustable annular wall arranged in spaced concentric relation to the edgeof the rotary vessel, and an adjustable tailings receiving discharge pan into which the worthless material is directed by said wall.

Still another object of the invention is to materially improve and simplify the construction of machines of this character, to-

enhance their efliciency in operation, and

finally to produce a practical machine where-: by the above purposes are accomplished which may be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of the parts that we shallhereinafter" fully describe and claim.

. For a full understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in

which Figure l is a vertical section of an ore concentrating machine embodying the preferred form of our invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the annular wall partly in section; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates a sill or base beam upon the upper surface of which the step bearing plate 6 is rigidly secured by means of the bolts 7. This plate is centrally provided with an opening or socket 8 to receive the journal stud 9 formed upon the lower end of the perpendicular shaft 10. This journal stud extends through spaced annular bearing plates 11 between which the bearing balls 12 are arranged. The upper end of the per pendicular shaft 10 extends through the longitudinal beam 13 and an opening provided in the plate 1a which is fixed upon the upper side of said beam by means of the bolts 15. Upon one end of this plate, a standard 16 is integrally formed and is provided upon its upper end with a bearing 17 in which is mounted one end of the horizontal driving shaft 18. This shaft has fixed upon its end a beveled gear 19 which meshes with a similar gear 20 on the upper end of the perpendicular shaft 10. It will be understood, however, that if desired, any other conventional means for operating the shaft 10 may be substituted for that above described.

Upon the shaft 10 intermediate of its ends, the concentrating vessel 21 is rigidly fixed in any preferred manner. The body portion of this vessel is provided upon its upper surface with a plurality of annular concentric ribs or rifiles 22, whereby the spaced annular grooves 23 are produced. These grooves and rifiles may be of any desired width and depth, but it will be observed that the ribs 22 which are located contiguous to the center of the vessel are preferably of less width than the remaining grooves. With each of the annular grooves 23, one or more openings 24: formed in the body of the vessel communicates through which the concentrates collecting in said grooves may be withdrawn. These openings during the operation of the machine are closed by means of suitable plugs indicated at 25. The vessel 21 is centrally provided in its upper surface with a recess or pocket 26 into which the material is fed through the pipe or tube 27 mounted in the longitudinal beam 13.

The body of the vessel 21 has formed upon its outer edge an upwardly and outwardly inclined wall generally indicated by the numeral 28. This wall is provided with a series of steps 29 which may also be of any desired width or depth. The upper surface of the outermost annular step 29 formed in this wall is downwardly and outwardly inclined as shown at 30, and this annular step has formed upon its outer edge a thickened vertical or upstanding flange 31 in the inner wall of which at the base of said flange, an annular groove or channel 32 is provided. The inclined upper surface 30 constitutes what is in effect a continuation of the lower or base wall of the annular groove. The flange 31 has formed upon its upper edge, an annular lateral projection or extension 33 thereby providing a broad flat upper surface over which the material is thrown by centrifugal force outwardly beyond the edge of the vessel. The inclined upper surface 30 of the outer step 29 constitutes the bottom of a mercury bed indicated at 34. This mercury, when the vessel is stationary spreads over the inclined surface 34 in a thin film, but when the vessel is in motion, the centrifugal force throws the mercury outwardly and into the annular groove 32 where it is trapped during the rotation of the disk.

An annular plate or wall 35 is arranged in spaced concentric relation to the outer edge of the vessel 21. Upon the inner surface of this annular wall an amalgam plate 35 is arranged. Upon the upper edge of this wall, ears 36 are formed and to the same the lower ends of the vertical bolts 37 are fixed. These bolts extend loosely through the beam 13 and have nuts 38 threaded upon their upper ends whereby the bolts may be adjusted to raise or lower the wall 35. The lower portion of this annular wall is downwardly and inwardly inclined as indicated at 39 and has its edge disposed over a circular trough 40, the base wall of which is horizontally inclined. On the innor surface of the inclined portion 39 of the annular wall a second amalgam plate 39 is secured in any preferred manner. This trough receives the gangue or tailings and is provided upon its lower side with the discharge spout 41 through which such waste or refuse material is discharged from the machine.

To the inner face of the wall 35 and below the outer edge of the vessel 21, an annular mercury receptacle 42 is secured. This receptacle which is open upon its upper side is divided by means of a plurality of partitions 43 into a series of chambers or compartments 44. Each of these compartments is adapted to contain mercury and in the wall 35 a sight tube 45 is suitably mounted,

.the outer end of which has a glass or other transparent disk or plate 46 mounted therein. Through the same, the contents of the several chambers or compartments 44 may be viewed and the depth of the mercury contained therein definitely ascertained. A gage tube shown at 47 is also provided for each of the chambers or compartments 44, the lower laterally disposed end of the tube being threaded in the annular wall 35, and provided with a valve or cook 48 through which the mercury may be admitted into the body of said tube. The other end of this tube is closed by means of a cap 49 which has threaded engagement thereon. By means of these tubes 47, the depth of the mercury in the several chambers 44 may be varied as desired by simply turning the tubes at an angle with relation to the mercury chambers so that a greater or less amount of the mercury will flow into said tubes. When the tubes are turned to extend downwardly from the mercury chambers and the caps 49 removed therefrom, the mercury may be drained from the several chambers. It is essential in order to obtain the best results that the mercury be maintained at such a height as to prevent the refuse material which is thrown outwardly by the rotating disk from collecting upon the upper surface of the mercury bed. Upon the inclined lower portion 39 of the annular wall 35, adjacent to its lower edge, a second annular receptacle 50 is arranged, said receptacle being also divided into separate compartments and provided with the sight openings and gage tubes as has been above described with reference to the upper receptacle 42. It is obvious, that if desired a greater number of these mercury troughs or receptacles upon the plate 35 may be provided, the same being located at relatively different distances from the outer edge of the rotating concentrating vessel 21.

The annular tailings receiving trough 40 is provided at diametrically opposite points with laterally extending bracket'arms 51, and this trough is also adapted for vertical adjustment through the medium of the rods or bolts 52, the lower ends of which are connected to these arms, the upper ends of said rods extending through the beam 13 and having nuts 53 threaded thereon whereby the rods may be adjusted in the beam.

From the above description, the operation of the machine will be understood as follows: The mined material is first screened to a suitable size and is then fed through'the tube 27 together with water in sufficient quantity, into the central receiving chamber 26 in the upper surface of the vessel 21. It is to be understood, however, that the machine may also be employed for dry separa tion. The vessel is now rot-ated through the medium of the shaft 10 and when the same attains the necessary speed, the material will move outwardly from the central chamber 26 over the annular ribs orriftles 22, the water washing the material over the fiat upper surfaces of these rifiies, while the heavier particles of gold will settle into the annular grooves 23, from which the same is later withdrawn through the openings 24. The tailings and lighter particles of precious metal pass outwardlyover the several annular steps 29 upon which a portion of the precious metal is collected A further separation takes place at the annular mercury bed 34 upon the outer edge ofthe concentrating disk, while the tailings and the flour gold are thrown outwardly over the upper edge 33'of the disk and against the annular wall or plate 35. This extremely fine gold is collected upon the upper surface of the mercury beds in thechambers of the annular troughs or receptacles 42 and 50 upon the inner surface of the wall 35 while the tailings or refuse material is discharged into the inclined trough 40. In this manner, substantially all of the precious metal in the ore bearing material is saved. By providing the separate chambers or compartments 44 for the mercury, in the event that through the vibration of the machine, the annular wall 35 should be tilted from its proper position, the mercury will not run to the lower side of the trough or receptacle, but will be confined within the several compartments thereof, thus avoiding waste, and effecting a material economy in the operation of the machine. By the provision of the tubes 47, after the operation of the machine these tubes may be turned downwardly and the valves 48 opened so that the mercury from each chamber will be received in the respective tubes, until it is again desired to operate the machine.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction and manner of operation of our improved ore concentrator will be clearly and fully understood.

The mechanism above described efiects a complete separation of all of the particles of precious metal from the worthless material. B the provision of the ad'ustable annular plate 35, and the adjustable discharge trough 40 for the tailings, materials of diiferent specific gravities may be operated upon. It will be understood that when the material thrown outwardly from the edge of the rotating vessel is fine and of light weight, the annular wall 35 is adjusted upwardly so as to dispose the troughs carried thereby adjacent to the vessel whereby such fine materials will be entrained in the mercury. When, however, the large particles of rock and other worthless material predominate, the wall is lowered so that such heavy particles in their fall will escape the mercury troughs and not be caught therein. The discharge trough 40 is of course also adjusted relatively to the adjustment of the wall 35. These parts may also be readily removed to afford access to the vessel 21 when it is desired to remove the concentrated materials from the grooves and steps thereof. Owing to the fact that comparatively few parts are employed in the construction of the machine, it will be obvious that the same is reliable, durable and eflicient in practical operation and may be produced at comparatively small manufacturing cost.

WVhile we have described and shown the preferred construction and arrangement of the several'elements, it will be understood that the same are susceptible of considerable modification without depart-ing from the essential features or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: r

1. A revoluble vessel for centrifugal ore concentrators comprising a body having a plurality of upwardly extending annular steps formed upon its outer wall, the upper surface of the outermost step being outwardly and downwardly inclined, and an upstanding flange formed upon the extreme outer edge of said latter step.

2. A revoluble vessel for centrifugal ore concentrators comprising a body having a plurality of upwardly extending annular steps formed upon its outer wall and an upstanding flange formed upon the extreme outer edge of the uppermost step, said flange being provided upon its inner face and at its base with an annular groove.

3. A revoluble vessel for centrifugal ore concentrators comprising a body provided upon its outer wall with a plurality of upwardly extending annular steps, and an upstanding flange formed upon the outer edge of the uppermost step, the upper surface of said latter step being outwardly and downwardly inclined, said flange being provided upon its inner face and at the lower edge of the inclined step surface with an annular groove.

4. The combination with a revoluble ore concentrating vessel, of a relatively stationary wall arranged in spaced concentric relation to the vessel against which the material is thrown by centrifugal force, an annular mercury containing trough mounted upon the inner face of said wall, and means for vertically adjusting said wall to position said trough with relation to the edge of the vessel.

5. The combination with a revoluble ore concentrating vessel, of a relatively stationary wall arranged in spaced concentric relation to the vessel against which the material is thrown by centrifugal force, said wall having a lower inwardly inclined portion, annular mercury troughs mounted upon the body and inclined portion of the wall respectively, and means for vertically adjusting said wall to position said troughs with relation to the edge of the vessel.

6. The combination with a revoluble ore concentrating vessel, of a relatively stationary wall arranged in spaced concentric relation to the vessel against which the material is thrown by centrifugal force, said wall having a lower inwardly inclined portion, annular mercury troughs mounted upon the body and inclined portion of the wall respectively, means for vertically adjusting said wall to position said troughs with relation to the edge of the vessel, and an annular vertically adjustable trough arranged below the inclined portion of said wall to receive the tailings and discharge the same from the machine.

,7. The combination with a revoluble ore said wall to positionthe mercury troughs with relation to the edge of the vessel, and a discharge trough arranged beneath said wall to receive the tailings and discharge the same from the machine.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures in theopresence of two wit- IIGSSGS.

EDWARD o; LATCHEM. LEWIS w roLLooK.

Witnesses:

Y J. N. TURNER,

HOWARD J. PIERsoL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0; i 

